1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to dentistry, and more particularly to fabrication of dental objects and articulators.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional dentistry employs physical casts of human dentition as a foundation for a variety of fabrication techniques. The impression materials used in this process, such as polymerizing silicone and polyether, theoretically capture an accurate dental impression. However, the initial impression may be flawed, and even a perfect impression may degrade over time as a result of thermal fluctuations, inherent plasticity, and rough handling. While the materials used to obtain dental impressions and create subsequent dental models have improved, the basic process steps remain prone to human error.
Sometimes, errors become so severe that the desired end product, such as a crown, cannot be manufactured. In other cases, the process introduces just enough error that the resulting prosthetic simply will not fit into a target space within a dental patient's dentition. This latter difficulty may place significant burdens on the craftsmanship of the practicing dentist to work the prosthetic and/or tooth surface into a suitable shape, or cause increased delay and costs if a new impression is required.
As another disadvantage, the process of taking the impression may cause significant discomfort to a patient, who must retain the impression material in the mouth while an impression is curing.
Recent advances in three dimensional imaging technology have introduced the possibility of a handheld, three-dimensional scanner that can be suitably adapted to acquisition of highly accurate, detailed surface data directly from within a dental patient's mouth—a virtual digital dental impression—that, once captured accurately, will not degrade, and can be easily reviewed, analyzed, and/or transmitted to remote manufacturing facilities. While this technology introduces the possibility of significant advances in digital dentistry, there remains a need for improved dental processes and models that employ virtual digital dental impressions to reduce manual labor and opportunities for error inherent in conventional dentistry.